What do you think should be taught in schools?

[thegirlscout]

Inspired by the discussion on the Northern Ireland Conflict (and possible Craic) thread where I said that growing up (I’m 30) I was never taught about the issues Northern Ireland faced and the role England played in this.

Which got me thinking - what would I change to the schooling curriculum?

I know we have people from all over the world and it would be great to see what is taught vs not in different parts of the world.

For me in England, I don’t believe much is taught about the history of the Union and how it came to be.

It doesn’t have to be heavy topics you wish to add. For instance I believe that more effort should be made to include teaching around mortgages and other financial issues you face as an adult. Maybe a subject that is taught from ages 15 onwards.

Of course this is pure fantasy and it doesn’t have to be wholly realistic. Also this isn’t a dig at teachers! But more of a curiosity about what you think is missing from schooling. What do you feel like you missed out on and that you had to learn about later?

 

[emerald]

More practical life skills kind of stuff. How to apply for jobs, interview skills, managing money, cooking, cleaning, being aware of politics, and media spin.

 

[jaffacake987]

How to drive!! Also how to mind ourselves mentally ie. mindfulness, now to deal with stress, grief etc.

 

[unidentified]

Definitely think there needs to be more education around money/savings/dangers of payday loans etc/ budgeting.

First aid should be compulsory

More education around sex and masturbation etc. More about healthy relationships and boundaries.

Discussions around the importance of acknowledging your feelings in a situation, validating feelings and allowing yourself to move forward

 

[thetis]

Cooking from scratch, basic nutrition and health, actual home economics, taxes and loans, personal finance and budgeting, sex ed and consent, ways to look for help in various vulnerable situations, first aid.

Children today definitely need to learn how to navigate the social media and existing online. If they are taught how the big corporations prey on us with psychological methods to keep us hooked or sell us stuff, they'd be less vulnerable or at least be able to make informed decisions.

 

[Happyvalley]

Definitely more life skills, how to sort your clothes and use a washing machine, make fresh healthy dinners, manage finances, book transport, apply for passports etc!

 

[Snippysnips]

I feel like schools have gave up now, all they teach them is how to pass exams

When I was in primary school we got sewing, how to change fuses in plugs and electrical work, knitting (still have memory's of frustration when I was primary 1 lol) cooking (still in high schools I believe but we got it from primary) and it was proper meals, not cupcakes, how to use maps, cleaning, an most importantly common sense, how to cross a road, stranger danger, how to make a escape plan with house fires, how to put out fires an what the extinguishers meant, how to float if you couldn't swim (we also got swimming lessons from primary 4) an how to call help etc

As I went to high school it felt like all those things were slowly being faded out as my cousins started no longer getting them when they were in primary school, but I'd have loved if primany school had kept those an also if high school had taught me how to apply for a mortagage, how to balance finances, how to apply for credit cards an the interest rates, what bills houses bring, growing my own fruit an veg etc

School should be about learning skills that will carry you through life so you can be independent, not how to pass a exam that probably does nothing for you, I mean do these kids even remember everything they have been taught or just enough to pass the exam

 

[Whatevesmate]

Great thread and some great suggestions! I'd like to see young children learning emotional regulation skills, non violent communication, mindfulness and yoga. Dance, sports and play should be given more priority and if kids don't enjoy certain sports then more choice and flexibility. Agree about practical skills re money management, negotiating adult life, including intimate relationships, friendships and the world of work & domestics. I also think teaching kids critical thinking skills is crucial so that they are able to understand the many ways in which we are manipulated and exploited by tech, governments and big corporations. Understanding how these systems work would be crucial in empowering the next generation to create a more equitable and environmentally sustainable world and feeling more confident and content.

 

[Pesky Tarian]

Pensions! So many friends now worried about pensions as we approach 40. When I started work a lovely lady took me to one side and gave me all kinds of advice. I literally didn't have a clue and at 17 I was very much 'well I'd rather have it in my pocket' . But now so glad I listened.

 

[HoGi]

Pensions! So many friends now worried about pensions as we approach 40. When I started work a lovely lady took me to one side and gave me all kinds of advice. I literally didn't have a clue and at 17 I was very much 'well I'd rather have it in my pocket' . But now so glad I listened.

100% agree with this. The amount of people who only consider their pensions when they get to their 50s or 60s and then realise they should have started saving decades ago is scary

 

[Moth]

So here's the national curriculum compulsory subjects:

11-14 years olds: English, Maths, Science, Art & Design, Citizenship, Computing, Design & Technology, Languages, Geography, History, Music, PE, RE, Sex & Relationships

14-16 year olds: English, Maths, Science, Citizenship, Computing, PE, RE, Sex & Relationships

If we're going to shoe-horn in all these new topics which existing ones go?

 

[Megansnarkle]

I think the suggestion by adults that we should have learnt about mortgages etc in school is a ridiculous one. I bought a house in my mid-30s. Learning about mortgages in school would have had as much relevance to my life then as learning about quadratic equations or surds (arguably less as a Maths GCSE was basically an essential qualification). Also, the world changes. I was at school pre-credit crunch. Mortgages of 100%+ were being offered and interest rates were 5/6%. Now it's a different world with many options for buying a property - shared ownership, Help to Buy etc. In another 15+ years it will likely be a different world again.

As adults you have to take responsibility for learning for yourself. There is a wealth of information available on the internet, schools should equip you with tools for learning, but actual learning is a lifelong thing.

I feel like it would have been helpful to have alongside lessons would have been skills sessions on things like presenting information, critically analysing text etc. I remember reading something by an Eton teacher who talked about what they did in Oxbridge preparation sessions and it was things like getting the boys to read a lengthy paragraph and sum up the most important bits in a certain number of words. We never did anything like that in school. Equally, it was only through trial and error and a few sessions once in work that I learnt about how to give an effective presentation (including in a group). These are all easily things that could fit alongside the national curriculum.

 

[Moth]

It is also interesting to see some of the topics that are already included in the National Curriculum:

• cook a repertoire of predominantly savoury dishes so that they are able to feed themselves and others a healthy and varied diet
• become competent in a range of cooking techniques [for example, selecting and preparing ingredients; using utensils and electrical equipment; applying heat in different ways; using awareness of taste, texture and smell to decide how to season dishes and combine ingredients; adapting and using their own recipes]
• the Elizabethan religious settlement and conflict with Catholics (including Scotland, Spain and Ireland) - optional
• the Interregnum (including Cromwell in Ireland) - optional
• Ireland and Home Rule - optional
• the functions and uses of money, the importance and practice of budgeting, and managing risk
• income and expenditure, credit and debt, insurance, savings and pensions, financial products and services, and how public money is raised and spent

 

[Kim Mild]

A charity collector came round our doors , and they were campaigning for sign language to be taught in schools.

 

[Sunlifeover50]

There’s a guy on YouTube that’s like “the dad you never had” that puts videos on like how to make an omelette or turn the stop cock off. Just things that you’re supposed to know but no one ever taught you might be embarrassed to ask. I really wish school would do something similar. Like a life skills class including money management, first aid, household tasks etc. Not everyone is brought up in a stable home with someone to show them the way.

 

[Comewhinewithme]

Skills, skills and more skills!
How to budget, what mortgages are the pros and cons.
Importance of saving
Importance of learning to drive
Cooking
Interview skills
And I say these as above said not everyone has a home life where they are shown how to do these things.
Sex education and not like my day, text book drawings and a dumb video.
A girl I know got pregnant the 1st time she had sex, she literally didn't know that sperm entering made a baby and to be honest if it wasn't for her having it spelt out I'd have been as bad!

 

[Sunflower91]

Definitely more life skills around finances etc.
We did do some bits and pieces but it like a 20 minute session on certain life topics like credit cards and cv writing. Not enough to get a good understanding.
I do think there are some things that can be taught in passing though- basic communication skills serve well for most careers, down to how to respond to certain situations. But when you’re being taught by some teachers that aren’t able to communicate well and react to situations in a difficult or even psychologically damaging ways it contributes to children with difficulties communicating that last into adulthood. Things that should be normalised just aren’t. For instance, when you are in school there is a lot less autonomy or opportunities to disagree with an authority figure and that’s something you really need to be able to do and feel comfortable with.
I also think that children should be taught what healthy relationships look like, what consent is. As well as some skills in mental well-being and coping, the importance of boundaries and noticing signs of burn out.

 

[Sickofthissh1t]

I think the suggestion by adults that we should have learnt about mortgages etc in school is a ridiculous one.

100% this!!! I am in Ireland and we briefly speak about mortgages, applying for them, interest rates, etc in one optional subject and the kids couldn't give 2 fucks. They learn the info for an exam and forget it just as quick (unfortunately!!!). They have zero interest!!

 

[Sibz]

Health classes. Which could include what a healthy diet looks like, portion sizes, different types of exercise, signs and symptoms of diseases, first aid training, dental care, mental health, coping with stress and anxiety, mindfulness, etc.

 

[Comewhinewithme]

This may seem odd given kids are already at said school but a separate class or a class topic early on of how important education is in terms of your future, career, and exploring university or further education.

We had careers advice at the very end of school when most would be leaving, by that stage for a lot of people it was too late, the previous 4/5 years they had no idea what they were working towards.

I've left school over 30yrs and in my day going to school was literally going through the motions at no point did anyone break it down and spell out the importance of education. I was there because I had to be. Hopefully things have changed but I still see a lot of kids leaving with a basic education and automatically moving into jobs they aren't happy in, namely retail.

Of course some head onto uni but I think if young people had a better idea they might take education more seriously.

I have children and while I won't force them to do anything they don't want to, I offer all the guidance about their future and try to remind them how important it is, whether that's further education, apprenticeships or university.